Sophia Pellegrini ’18: From Westover Community Service to Americorps VISTA

By Rich Beebe P'10

Sophia Pellegrini ’18 has been active in community service since a young age.

As a child, she recalled, “I enjoyed volunteering at my local animal shelter, being in Girl Scouts, and organizing a fundraiser for my town’s food pantry.”

“I was able to further explore this interest,” Sophia said, “when I was accepted at Westover and was able to join the Community Service Team and volunteer with the Kentucky Service Program Trip for two summers. All of these experiences shaped me deeply and, ultimately, inspired me to join AmeriCorps as a VISTA member once I graduated college.”

Sophia attended Binghamton University, graduating with a degree in Political Science, a track in Global & International Affairs, and a concentration in Human Rights.

“I was selected for service with the AmeriCorps VISTA program in June 2023,” Sophia said. “It is a year-long service commitment, and I will finish up in June 2024.”

Through the VISTA program, Sophia explained, “I have been able to join the wonderful team at the Broome County Council of Churches, a local, community-focused non-profit in Binghamton, NY. I have been most involved with their Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW) program and Greater Good Grocery Bus, both of which focus on fighting food insecurity and promoting food equity across Broome County, NY.”

Looking back, Sophia said, “My experiences at Westover definitely helped to inspire me to join AmeriCorps. I had volunteered at different places before being accepted at Westover, but Westover encouraged me to commit to service more consistently and allowed me to make it a larger part of my life.”

“During my time at Westover,” she added, “I was able to join the Community Service Team, which was a highlight during my time there. We were able to assist at senior homes, the Connecticut Food Bank, the local Boys & Girls Club, and so much more.” 

In the summers of 2016 and 2017, Sophia recalled, “I also was able to be a part of the yearly summer service trips down to Kentucky, where I volunteered at a summer booster camp for younger children, where we assisted with education and nutrition programs.”

Sophia gained much as a result of all her Westover service endeavors. “Through all of these experiences,” she explained, “I was able to form such amazing memories with my fellow volunteers, as well as with the people we were serving, which was incredibly rewarding.”